Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ensenada Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ensenada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,022 in Ensenada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,603 in Ensenada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,184 in Ensenada.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 2% less than in Ensenada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Ensenada 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.89 MX$188

-45.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$31.65 MX$548

4.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.05 MX$122

5.39%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.89 MX$49.95

-42.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.10 MX$19.06

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.72 MX$12.49

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.62 MX$45.40

-34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.06 MX$70.3

-21.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.63 MX$28.28

-32.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.53 MX$43.72

-50.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.65 MX$28.52

-16.36%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.72 MX$47.09

-19.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.65 MX$132

-41.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.94 MX$85.5

17.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.66 MX$167

-7.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.93 MX$33.44

20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.44 MX$24.88

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.68 MX$29.13

-9.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.49 MX$25.77

-8.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.69 MX$29.18

-33.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.74 MX$30.13

-32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.06 MX$18.30

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.94 MX$16.29

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.99 MX$69.0

-44.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$13.84 MX$239

-12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.42 MX$24.58

-16.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.31 MX$39.94

7.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.78 MX$13.44

8.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.08 MX$35.91

-31.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.54 MX$26.73

26.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.14 MX$54.4

151.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.25 MX$21.57

-20.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.1K MX$364.9K

-16.55%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.6K MX$355.8K

30.30%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$56.0 MX$970

48.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$20.42 MX$353

-52.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$27.69 MX$479

-15.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$66.4 MX$1,149

-61.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.84 MX$274

20.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.26 MX$73.8

-7.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$316 COP 994.2K

$188 MX$3,258

67.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,748 MX$47.5K

117.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$42.74 MX$739

40.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$35.07 MX$607

-9.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$87.9 MX$1,520

15.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$56.8 MX$982

89.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$513 MX$8,868

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$348 MX$6,021

7.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,018 MX$17.6K

-16.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$639 MX$11.1K

12.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,429 MX$24.7K

128.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$708 MX$12.3K

103.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$697 MX$12.1K

-10.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.33

18.53%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ensenada: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $513 in Ensenada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ensenada pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $32.00 in Ensenada. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $232, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Ensenada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ensenada differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,022 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Ensenada. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $513 in Ensenada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Ensenada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,022 in Ensenada – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,022 in Ensenada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ensenada. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ensenada are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Ensenada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.